Apparatus for supplying parallel strand lengths

ABSTRACT

A machine for supplying parallel lengths of fibrous strands for incorporation in a non-woven fabric. A guide carriage reciprocates between a pair of continuously moving conveyors having strand engaging hooks. The carriage lays a band of strands, first around a set of hooks of one conveyor and then a set of hooks on the other conveyor. Before each crossing of the carriage, a rake adjacent each conveyor extends each strand, relative to the conveyor, a distance of one band width from a first holding element to a second holding element upstream of the same conveyor. The carriage, rake, and conveyors are operated in timed relation so that the lengths of strands extending between conveyors will all be parallel for presentation to fabric forming means.

United States Patent Klaeui 1 Apr. 4, 1972 [54] APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING1,931,179 10/1933 Coombes ..66/85 PARALLEL STRAND LENGTHS 2,000,6435/1935 Morton ..66/85 3,340,584 9/1967 Kalwaites.... ..28/1 Inventor:Hans J- Klaeul, Rock H111, Kalwaitesm. [73] Assignee: Crompton & KnowlesCorporation, Wor- 3,446,038 1969 Inui cester, Mass. 3,523,432 8/1970Vajda et a] 66/125 [22] Filed: 1970 Primary ExaminerRonald Feldbaum [21]Appl. No.: 96,800 Attorney-Howard G. Garner, Jr.

Related US. Application Data 57 ABSTRACT [62] Division of 806948, 13,1969, A machine for supplying parallel lengths of fibrous strands forincorporation in a non-woven fabric. A guide carriage reciprocatesbetween a pair of continuously moving conveyors [52] U.S.Cl ..28/l,66/85having Strand engaging hooks The carriage lays a band of [51] f Cl "D0233/00 strands, first around a set of hooks of one conveyor and then aFleld 0f SGQICh 85, set of hooks on the other conveyor. Before eachcrossing of the carriage, a rake adjacent each conveyor extends each[56] Rem-Ices cued strand, relative to the conveyor, a distance of oneband width UNITED STATES PATENTS from a first holding element to asecond holding element upstream of the same conveyor. The carriage,rake, and con- NOB veyors are operated in timed relation that thelengths of 3364701 1/1968 strands extending between conveyors will allbe parallel for 3,440,840 4/1969 Frenzel 166/84 presentation to fabricforming means. 1,895,293 1/1933 M0rton.... 66/85 1,924,649 8/1933 Morton..66/ 6 Claims, 15 Drawing Figures 'lli h |l| PATENTEDAPR 4 19723,653,105

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uammqmwc'i T0 Tl T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7 T8 T9 TIO Tll TIZ TB Tl4 Tl5 T16INVENTOR HANS J. KLAEUI ATTORNEY APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING PARALLEL STRANDLENGTI-IS This application is a division of my co-pending applicationSer. No. 806,948, filed Mar. 13, 1969, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,564,872 andentitled APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING PARALLEL LENGTHS OF F IBROUS MATERIAL,which application relates to means for producing a fabric composed of asystem of parallel filling strands and chains of warp thread loopsenmeshing and interconnecting the filling strands.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to means forsupplying parallel lengths of fibrous strands to fabric formingmachinery such as a warp knitting machine.

There are numerous machines for producing fabrics composed of parallelstrands, some of which bind the strands with knitted chains of warpthread loops. In most cases, the problems of arranging the filling inparallel lengths severely limits the speed of the machine. The followingpatents are examples of the various approaches which have been taken toproduce knitted fabric having parallel filling strands: J. Morton, U.S.Pat. No. 1,946,030 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,000,643; I. Springthorpe, U.S.Pat. No. 1,661,055, British Pat. No. 223,342, and British Pat. No.281,043. Other patents show machines for laying parallel filling strandswhich are held together by means other than knitting. Examples of thelatter type of machine are shown in U.S. patents to R. A. Havemann, Nos.2,954,817; L. R. Willman, 3,156,027; C. H. Howard et al., 1,518,512; C.C. Wilson et al.; A. B. Stevenson, 2,936,022; and I. M. Diehl,3,041,230.

As far as is known, none of the prior art machines which feed parallelstrand lengths to a knitting machine can lay the strands in parallellengths with enough speed to match speeds of modern fabric formingmachinery. This speed limitation is due to the limited number of strandswhich are simultaneously handled by the strand inserting mechanism ofeach of the prior art machines.

The machines other than the knitting machine illustrated in theabove-mentioned patents, which show the insertion of wide bands ofstrands, have other drawbacks. The strand lengths have to be cut afterinsertion of each band or sheet of strands. Control and accuracy ofspacing of strands to be presented to the fabric forming means istherefore a problem.

A machine has been developed which can insert strands at high speedswhich match or exceed the speed of most fabric forming machines. Thistype of machine is illustrated in U.S. Pat. Re. No. 25,749 toMauersberger. Mauersberger lays a band of strands between twocontinuously-moving conveyors which have respective sets of strandholding elements. A carriage, reciprocally movable above the conveyors,brings the band from one conveyor to the other. The strands arealternately laid about respective holding elements, first on oneconveyor and then on the other. The conveyors continue to advance towarda row of knitting needles where the strands are incorporated into aknitted fabric. Each strand in a band is parallel to the strands in thesame band but each band is disposed at an angle to preceding andsubsequent bands. The inserted strands are fed to the knitting needlesas a multi-layer system of superimposed and intersecting zigzag fillingstretches. A distinguishing feature of the machine made according to theMauersberger patent is its ability to produce a warp knit fabric atextremely high speeds. The fabric so produced is also distinguished bythe overlapping zigzag layers of strands.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a principal object of the presentinvention to provide a machine for supplying parallel lengths of strandsfor incorporation in a nonwoven fabric at a high rate of speed withmaximum control of the strands.

The objects of the invention are realized by a strand inserting machinewhich is similar in construction and operation to that disclosed inMauersberger, supra. The invention comprises a pair of spaced conveyorsand a carriage like that shown in Mauersberger, supra, with the additionof a rake over each conveyor for shifting the band of strands each timethe strands are inserted in respective holding elements on a conveyor bythe carriage. The strands are extended by the rake to a second set ofholding elements before each crossing of the carriage, each strand beingshifted approximately a distance of one band width. The strands aretransferred from the rake to the second set of holding elements as thecarriage returns to the other conveyor, whereupon a similar strandextending cycle is performed. Drives for the conveyors, rakes andcarriage are operatively connected so that the conveyors advance twoband widths for each reciprocation of the carriage so that the rakesoperate to shift the band in the proper timed relation as describedabove. The strands which are inserted in the manner described above aretherefore advanced toward the fabric forming machinery as a continuoussheet of parallel strands.

As a special application of the invention to a knitting machine, thedistance between each holding element is considerably greater than thestitching length of each knitting loop. The conveyors are thereforeadvanced toward the knitting needles at a greater speed than that atwhich the fabric is produced. This difference between conveyor andfabric speed makes it necessary to remove the strand lengths from theholding elements immediately after they are incorporated into thefabric. Since each strand extends from one band of holding elements toadjacent bands, the removal on one strand length from its holdingelement would cause its corresponding length in the next band to becomeslack. For this reason, strand retaining means are provided to hold theportion of each strand which extends between bands until the lengths ofeach consecutive band of strands are securely enmeshed by knittingloops.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other objects and advantages will beevident from the following description in conjunction with the drawingsin which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the strand laying means of the presentinvention in connection with a knitting machine, showing theinterconnected drive relation of the strand extending means andconveyors;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of one side of the mechanism shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevation looking in the direction of arrow 3 in FIG.2, with parts broken away and showing the carriage in position todeposit strands between holding elements on one of the conveyors;

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the carriage and conveyor drives;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary section on line 55 of FIG. 2, showing thehold-down wheel;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary isometric view looking from the rear of themachine and showing the carriage in the process of laying a plurality ofstrand lengths between holding elements on the right hand conveyor;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 showing the carriage as it begins tomove to the left-hand conveyor and the rake as it extends the previouslylayed strands from a first set of holding elements to a second set ofholding elements on the left-hand conveyor;

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic view of the strand laying operation, showingthe carriage as it approaches the extreme right in the process ofinserting strand lengths between holding elements of the right-handconveyor;

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8 showing the carriage at the extremeright of its reciprocating travel;

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 8 showing the rake extending thelengths of strands between the right-hand conveyor and the carriage;

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 8 showing the carriage as it begins tocross over to the left-hand conveyor;

FIG. 12 is a view similar to FIG. 11 showing the carriage at the pointin its travel when the strand lengths disengage from the extending meansand are engaged by a second set of holding elements on the right-handconveyor;

FIG. 13 is a view similar to FIG. 8 showing the carriage as itapproaches the extreme left in the process of inserting strand lengthsbetween holding elements of the left-hand conveyor;

FIG. 14 is a view similar to FIG. 9 showing the carriage at the extremeleft of its reciprocating travel; and

FIG. 15 is a timing diagram of the conveyor and strand extending meansdisplacement for successive reciprocations of the carriage.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION A. Conveyor and Conveyor Operating Means Referringparticularly to FIGS. 1 and 4, there is a pair of endless rightandleft-hand conveyors indicated at and 22, respectively. As seen in FIG.4, a motor generally indicated at 24 drives a shaft 26 through a pair ofsprockets 28 and 29 and a chain 30. A small gear 32 is fixed to shaft 26and drives a larger gear 34 fixed to a stub shaft 36. A small gear 38 isalso fixed to shaft 36 and drives a very large gear 40 which is fixed toa second stub shaft 42. A sprocket 43 is fixed to shaft 42 and drives asprocket 44 through a chain 46. Sprocket 44 is fixed to a shaft 48 towhich is also attached a smaller sprocket 50 which drives still anothersprocket 52 by a chain 54. Sprocket 52 is fixed to a shaft 56 on whichis fixed a pair of conveyor sprockets 58 and 60 which drive previouslydescribed conveyors 20 and 22, respectively. As can be seen by therelative sizes of the gears and sprockets in FIG. 4, there is aconsiderable reduction in speed from the motor to the conveyors 20 and22. The conveyor drive shown in FIG. 4 is an example of any number ofspeed reducing combinations which could be used.

Referring to FIG. 1, the left-hand conveyor 22 extends from sprocket 60around a lower idler sprocket 62, around an upper idler sprocket 64which is fixed to a shaft 66 and back to sprocket 60. The right-handconveyor is arranged around a similar set of idler sprockets on theother side of the machine.

Referring to FIGS. 2, 3 and 5, conveyor 22 consists of a plurality ofconveyor chains which are guided in grooves 68 in a guide plate 70extending from idler sprocket 64 to sprocket 60. There is a plurality ofholding elements generally indicated at 72 which are located at spacedintervals along the entire conveyor span. The holding elements 72 aresupported in bar sections 73 which are fixed to pairs of conveyor chainsat two points to stabilize the holding element crosswise of theconveyor. Each holding element 72 has an upwardly extending strandengaging hook portion 74. Conveyor 20 is exactly the same as conveyor 22and has the same type of holding element 72. The element 72 on conveyor20 extends to the inside of conveyor 20 and extends toward holdingelements 72 on conveyor 22.

B. Strand Carriage and Carriage Operating Means Referring to FIGS. 2, 3and 4, the strand carriage is generally indicated at 75. The carriagehas a forward wall 76 which is formed into a pair of bearing members 77and a rearward wall 78 on which are supported upper and lower guiderollers 80 and 82, respectively. Bearing members 77 are slidinglymounted on a forward guide shaft 84 and rollers 80 and 82 will roll on arearward guide shaft 86 located therebetween. Shafts 84 and 86 extendfrom the rightand left-hand edges of the machine just over theconveyors.

Referring particularly to FIG. 4, the drive for the carriage istransmitted from previously described gear 40. A block 88 ishorizontally slidable on a cross shaft 90 which is supported by a pairof blocks 92 which are vertically slidable on a pair of vertical rods94. A follower 96 is attached to block 88 and is trapped within a groove98 in gear 40. Rotations of gear 40 will displace shaft 90 and block 88vertically and cause blocks 92 to slide vertically on rods 94. Sincefollower 96 will be moved in a circular path by gear 40, it will alsohave a horizontal displacement. This horizontal displacement of follower96 will cause block 88 to slide on shaft 90. The resulting motion ofblocks 92 will be harmonic. There is an endless chain 100 attached toeach block 92 and trained around upper and lower sprockets 102 and 104,respectively. Upper sprockets 102 are fixed to an upper cross shaft 106which extends between the sprockets 102. A sprocket 108 is also fixed toshaft 106 and drives a sprocket 110 through a chain 112. Sprocket 110 isfixed to a shaft 1 14 to which is fixed another sprocket 116. A chain118 is trained around sprocket 116 and an idler sprocket 120. Chain 1 18is fixed to the lower bearing portions 77 of the back wall 76 of thecarriage, see FIG. 3. For each rotation of gear 40, each block 92 willreciprocate between an upper and lower vertical position and cause thecarriage 7 S to reciprocate between sprockets 1 l6 and 120 which arelocated to the outside of conveyors 20 and 22, respectively.

The strands which are to be deposited between conveyors 20 and 22 extendfrom supply packages, not shown, through guide holes 121 in an upperguide rail 122 which extends between the front wall 76 and the rear wall78 of the carriage. The strands extend from guide rail 122 through guideholes 123 in a lower guide rail 124 located at the bottom of thecarriage. The strands extend through the carriage in a path indicated bythe dot and dash lines 126.

To insure a faultless insertion of the individual strands betweenrespective hooks 74, the strands must be brought below the plane of thehooks when the carriage reaches the end of its travel with respect toeach conveyor. For this purpose, two parallel two-arrned levers 128 and130 are pivotally mounted at 132 and 133, respectively, on wall 78 ofthe carriage. Levers 128 and 130 are normally disposed in a horizontaldirection and are connected through a pair of vertical links 134 and136. As seen in FIG. 3, the left-hand arms of links 128 and 130 arepivotally connected to links 134 at spaced points. The right-hand armsof links 128 and 130 are pivotally connected to link 136 at spacedpoints. Two rollers 138 and 140 are journalled to the right and leftends, respectively, of lever 128. A cam 142 extends from a support 144into the path of rollers 138 and 140. A pair of upright balance rods 146attached to the respective ends of lever 130 maintain levers 128 and 130horizontal. As the carriage approaches the end of its motion to theright, roll 138 engages an inclined portion 148 of cam 142 and rockslevers 128 and 130 counter-clockwise As seen in FIG. 3, roll 138 hasengaged incline 148 and has made its way to the top of cam 142. Link 134is therefore in its lowest position. Attached to the lower portion oflink 134 is a presser bar 150 which is lowered to a point below thehooks 74. The strands extending from the conveyor on the opposite sideof the machine and along the path indicated by dot and dash line 126 arepressed between the hooks of respective holding elements. Roller 140engages a similar cam 142 when the carriage moves to the other side ofthe machine. When the carriage nears the end of its motion toward theside opposite that shown in FIG. 3, roller 140 will be raised, therebyrocking levers 128 and 130 clockwise and lowering link 136. A presserbar 150 is also attached to the bottom of link 136 for depressing thestrands and insuring that the strands will be inserted betweenrespective holding elements on conveyor 20. C. Rake and Rake OperatingMeans Refer-ring particularly to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, each side of themachine is provided with a rake generally indicated at 152. Each rakehas a main body portion 154 supported by a pair of bearing members 156which are slidably supported on a pair of horizontal cylindrical rods158. A horizontal plate 160 extends from the main body portion of therake over the holding elements 72 and supports a series of horizontaltines 162 which have downwardly extending projections 164, see FIGS. 6and 7. The spacing of the projections 164 is the same as it is betweenholding element 72.

The operating means for the rake is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. Asseen in those Figures, a sprocket 166 is fixed to previously describedshaft 66. Sprocket 166 drives a sprocket 168 fixed to shaft 170 whichextends through a slot 172 in the main body portion 154 of the rake andbetween rods 158. A rake cam 174 is fixed to the outer end of shaft 170to the outside of portion 154. The operating surface of cam 174 engagesa follower 176 joumaled on portion 154 of the rake. Cam 174 makes onerevolution for each reciprocation of the carriage and is therefore atwo-phase cam. There is a high point 178 and a low point 180 for eachphase of the cam so that each rake makes a complete operating cycle foreach crossing of the carriage. One operating cycle will be effective toextend the strands, in a manner to be explained in more detail, when thecarriage is adjacent one of the rakes; the other cycle of the same rakewill be an idle one when the carriage is adjacent the other rake at theopposite side of the machine. As the follower is engaged by cam 174progressively from the low point 180 to the high point 178, the rake isshifted forward or to the right, as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2, againstcompression springs 182 mounted on rods 158. Engagement of follower 176from the high portion 178 to the low portion 180 of the cam 174 resultsin a relatively quick motion of the rake toward the rear of the machineor to the left, as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2. FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 show therake and rake operating means which is associated with the left-handconveyor 22 but it is to be understood that the rake and rake operatingmechanism associated with the right-hand conveyor 20 is exactly the sameas for conveyor 22.

D. Operation of Strand Insertion A typical strand laying cycle isillustrated in FIGS. 8-14. Referring particularly to FIG. 8, only fivestrands are depicted for simultaneous insertion while in actualoperation as many as 100 strands may be inserted simultaneously. Fivestrands are illustrated for clarity and ease of following a typicalstrand laying cycle.

The relative motion of the rake to the conveyor is depicted in FIG. 15.In that Figure, vertical coordinates represent hooks on the conveyor andthe horizontal coordinates represent time intervals. The motion of therake when plotted relative to the conveyor and time will form anirregular line indicated at 179. The time units T1, T2, etc., representany convenient time units. For ease of understanding, the time units T1,T2, etc., represent the time that it takes for the conveyors to move adistance ofone hook spacing.

The segments A, B, C and D of line 179 represent different movements ofthe rake relative to the conveyors. Referring to FIG. 1, the portions ofcam 174 which correspond to the various segments of line 179 areidentified accordingly. For exam ple, the portion of cam 174 whichextends from high point 178 to low point 180 is identified as A tocorrespond to the motion of the rake as represented by segment A of line179 in FIG. 15.

In FIG. 8, the carriage 75 is shown nearing the extreme position to theright toward the outside of conveyor 20. Strands a, b, c, d and e extendfrom the carriage from hooks 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, respectively, on conveyor22 and will also lie in front of hooks 1', 2, 3, 4' and 5, respectively,on conveyor 20 and behind tines 1", 2", 3", 4" and 5", respectively, ofrake 152. The position of the carriage and rake as shown in FIG. 8corresponds to that shown in FIG. 6. Corresponding tines 164 liedirectly over hooks 1', 2', 3, 4' and 5.

As the carriage reaches the extreme right-hand position as shown in FIG.9, the rake begins to move rearwardly so that tines 1", 2", 3", 4" and5" engage strands a, b, c, d and e, respectively. Continued rearwardmotion of the rake extends the portion of each strand which lies betweenthe carriage 75 and its respective holding element. At the end of therearward motion of the rake, the strands are extended a distance of oneband width, as shown in FIG. 10. This motion of the rake takes place asfollower 176 moves from the high point 178 to the low point 180 of cam174 along portion A of the cam. This motion is also represented bysegment A of line 179 in FIG. 20. The actual rearward motion of the rakeis five hook spaces from time interval T0 to T1. Since the conveyormoves continuously forward, it moves forward a distance of one hookspace during the T0 to T1 time interval. Since the rake and conveyormove in opposite directions, the relative displacement between the rakeand conveyor is therefore six hook spaces, as seen in FIG. 20. Thereason that the rake moves six spaces with respect to the conveyorinstead of five is because it begins its rearward motion one hookspacing forward of the holding elements with which it would normally bealigned. This is to enable the carriage to deposit the strands behindthe tines of the rake, as shown in FIG. 8. How the rake gets to thisforward position with respect to the conveyor will be described ingreater detail hereinbelow.

The forward motion of the conveyor will cause the hooks 1, 2', 3, 4' and5 to engage strands a, b, c, d and e, respectively, from FIG. 8 to FIG.9. At the end of the rearward motion of the rake, the tines 1", 2", 3",4" and 5" will be aligned with hooks 6', 7', 8', 9' and 10,respectively, and the strands a, b, c, d and e will extend from hooks1', 2', 3, 4' and 5', respectively, as shown in FIG. 10.

The carriage 75 begins to move back to the left-hand conveyor 22 duringthe rearward motion of the rake, as shown in FIG. 10. The carriage 75continues to move toward conveyor 22 past the hooks on conveyor 20, asshown in FIG. 11. The strands a, b, c, d and e still extend around tines1", 2", 3", 4" and 5", respectively, and hooks 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5,respectively, during this first portion of the carriage motion. FIG. 12corresponds to FIG. 8 with respect to operating sequence.

After the rake has shifted to the position shown in FIG. 10, it beginsto move forward again as follower 176 first begins to move from the lowportion to the high portion 178 of cam 174. This forward motion of therake occurs as follower 176 moves along section B of cam 174 asrepresented by the line segment B in FIG. 15. As can be seen in FIG. 15,the displacement of the rake as represented by line segment B is at thesame rate as that of the conveyor since there is no relative motion ofthe rake with respect to the conveyor during the time interval T1 to T2.

When the carriage has traversed approximately 10 percent of the distancebetween conveyors, as seen in FIG. 12, the portions of the yarn strandsextending around the rake tines slip off the tines to be caught oncorresponding hooks aligned with the tines. The carriage moves in astraight line between conveyors. The motion of the conveyors and rakesin a direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of the carriagecauses the portions of the strands which are looped around the raketines to extend from the carriage at an angle which decreases withincreasing movement of the carriage. As previously mentioned, thestrands slip off the tines when the carriage has traveled ten percent ofthe distance between conveyors. During this time, and until the dropoffof the strands from the tines, the rake moves synchronously with theconveyor so that the tines 1", 2", 3", 4" and 5" will still be alignedwith hooks 6', 7', 8', 9 and 10, respectively.

It is important that tines 1", 2", 3", 4 and 5" are aligned with hooks6, 7 8', 9' and 10', respectively while the strands slip off the ends ofthe tines. When the carriage reaches the conveyor 22, the strands a, b,c, d and e must be inserted in front of hooks 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10,respectively, and behind the tines 1, 2", 3', 4, and 5", respectively,of the rake which is associated with conveyor 22. The strands must beinserted behind respective tines if the strands are to be shifted to thenext set of hooks on the conveyor. This is only possible if the rake hasgained the distance of one hook spacing relative to the conveyor so thattines 1", 2", 3", 4 and 5" are aligned with hooks 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9,respectively. This gain occurs during the time interval T2 to T3 whenthe rake moves forwardly a distance of two hook spaces while theconveyor moves forwardly a distance of one hook spacing. This phase ofoperation occurs as the follower 176 moves along section C of cam 174.This section of the cam moves the rake forwardly at a faster rate thanthe conveyor so that the rake gains one hook spacing during the T2 to T3interval as represented by segment C of line 179 in FIG. 15.

After having gained one hook spacing with respect to the conveyor, therake then moves synchronously with the conveyor between T3 and T5. Thismotion of the rake occurs as follower 176 moves along section D of cam174. This motion is represented by segment C of line 179 which indicatesno motion of the rake with respect to the conveyor. The portions C and Dof the rake movement occur between FIGS. 13 and 14. The rake will be farenough forward so that the strands a, b, c, d ande will be laid behindtines 1", 2", 3", 4" and 5" of the rake as the carriage passes over theleft-hand conveyor, as shown in FIG. 13. FIG. 8 is comparable to FIG. 13except that they represent strand inserting operations on oppositeconveyors. It should now be clear how the rake as shown in FIG. 8 wasfar enough forward so that the strands could be laid behind respectivetines of the rake as previously described.

Between FIG. 13 and FIG. 14, the rake begins its rearward stroke asrepresented by line segment A at T5 in FIG. 15. In FIG. 13, the raketines 1", 2", 3', 4 and 5" are aligned with hooks 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10,respectively. The phase of operation represented by FIG. 14 isequivalent to that shown in FIG. 9.

As seen in FIG. 14, the strands a, b, c, d and e extend from the back ofbooks 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, respectively, to and around the front of hooks1, 2', 3', 4' and 5', respectively, for a first band of parallelstrands. The strands a, b, c, d and e then extend down to and around theback of hooks 6', 7 8', 9' and 10, respectively, and then across to andaround the front of hooks 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10, respectively, to form asecond band of strands which are parallel to each other and to thestrands in the first band. The strands will therefore always extend fromthe back side of hooks on one conveyor to the front side of books on theother conveyor alternately. The strands of one band will be at a veryslight angle to the strands of adjacent bands because of the fillingbooks. This difference is slight because the thickness of the hooks isrelatively insignificant in comparison to the spacing between conveyorhooks.

The invention is not limited to the number of strands shown or the exacttime sequence depicted for each phase of operation. As long as thevarious mechanisms shown are in their proper relationship at thecritical phases of operation, the exact amount of time devoted to eachoperation is not critical. An entire strand laying operation is dividedinto fifths to match the number of strands shown in the drawings. Eachphase of operation, as depicted by segments A, B, C and D of FIG. 15,may in practice constitute a greater or lesser proportion of the wholeoperation than that shown.

When it is desired to present the parallel strands, arranged accordingto the present invention, for incorporation into a knitted fabric,special adaptations are required. The strands must be cut or otherwisereleased just prior to incorporation into the knitted fabric and helduntil after they are securely held by the knitting loops. Means aretherefore provided for releasing and holding the ends of the strands inassociation with the knitting apparatus.

Since the spacing between holding elements on the conveyors isfrequently greater than the knitting loop lengths to insure uniformityof fabric production, the conveyors must advance toward the knittingneedles at a greater speed than that at which fabric is taken up. Thismeans that the strands must be disengaged from the conveyors as they arebound into the fabric by the knitting loops. The ends of the strandlengths must also be held securely until the lengths are firmly held bythe knitting loops.

The strand lengths are disengaged by cutters 2E8 located adjacent to theknitting needles, see FIGS. 1 and 2. The ends of the strands are held bya holding wheel 220 associated with each conveyor, see also FIG. 5, eachof which is rotatably mounted at 221 on a bracket 222 fixed topreviously described conveyor supporting bracket 70. Wheel 220 is madeof a friction material such as rubber or the like and is disposed onbracket 222 in such a way that its outer periphery fits snugly into theinner comers 224 of hooks 74. The outer periphery of wheel 220 is shapedso as to conform to the configuration of corners 224. As the strandsapproach the row of knitting needles, wheels 220 pinch both ends of thestrands against their respective hooks. As each strand length is cut,the portion of the strand which extends to the next band will be held bywheels 220 until the corresponding length of that strand in the nextband is securely incorporated into the fabric.

Having described my invention, it will be apparent to those skilled inthe art that modifications could be made to certain structures andoperations of the invention without departing from the true scope andspirit of my invention. When it is specified that strand lengths areinserted between respective hooks on the conveyors, it is not intendedthat a single fibrous element represent the strand length. Two or moreyarns or threads or other material could constitute a strand length.Selective strands may be of diverse characteristics such as color,texture, etc., for patterning efiects. It is intended that strandlengths extending between holding elements be separated from andparallel to similar strand lengths or even dissimilar strand lengths.For example: one yarn between a first and second hook, two yarns betweenthe second and third hooks, three yarns between the third and fourthhooks and then one yarn between the fourth and fifth hooks.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:

1. Apparatus for supplying parallel strand lengths comprismg:

a. a pair of laterally spaced, substantially parallel, synchronouslydriven conveyors being provided at their adjacent edges with a pluralityof holding elements adapted for holding said strands;

b. a carriage disposed above said conveyors for reciprocation in a pathperpendicular to, and intersecting with, the paths of said conveyors toextend a band of spaced strands from the holding elements on oneconveyor to the holding elements on the other of said conveyors;

c. means associated with each of said conveyors for disposing a portionof each of said strands from a first holding element to a second holdingelement on said conveyor spaced one band width away from said firstholding elemerit; and

d. drive means for driving said conveyors, said carriage and saiddisposing means wherein said conveyors each move a distance of one bandwidth for each passage of said can riage across said conveyors andwherein said disposing means disposes each of said strands from saidfirst holding elements to said second holding elements during a portionof said carriage passage.

2. The strand supplying apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein saidholding elements are books, each of which cornprises an upwardlyextending portion.

3. The strand supplying apparatus as described in claim 2 wherein eachof said disposing means is a rake having a plurality of tines whichextend above said hooks.

4. The strand supplying apparatus as described in claim 3 wherein saidtines are aligned with respective hooks on each of said conveyors duringthe phase of said carriage travel during which said carriage moves pastand to the outside of said hooks for extending said strands betweenrespective tines and hooks, said drive means operating said rake so thatsaid tines will be aligned with said second hooks before said carriagemoves past said hooks toward the other of said conveyors.

5. The strand supplying apparatus as described in claim 2 wherein eachof said tines has a depending portion for guiding strands between saidhooks, each of said depending portions extending down to the outside ofand below the upper limit of said upwardly extending hook portions.

6. Apparatus for supplying parallel strand lengths comprising:

a. a pair of laterally spaced, substantially parallel, synchronouslydriven conveyors being provided at their adjacent edges with a pluralityof holding elements adapted for holding a plurality of strands;

b. means for extending parallel bands of continuous spaced parallelstrands alternately from the holding elements on one conveyor to theholding elements of the other of said conveyors; and

1. Apparatus for supplying parallel strand lengths comprising: a. a pairof laterally spaced, substantially parallel, synchronously drivenconveyors being provided at their adjacent edges with a plurality ofholding elements adapted for holding said strands; b. a carriagedisposed above said conveyors for reciprocation in a path perpendicularto, and intersecting with, the paths of said conveyors to extend a bandof spaced strands from the holding elements on one conveyor to theholding elements on the other of said conveyors; c. means associatedwith each of said conveyors for disposing a portion of each of saidstrands from a first holding element to a second holding element on saidconveyor spaced one band width away from said first holding element; andd. drive means for driving said conveyors, said carriage and saiddisposing means wherein said conveyors each move a distance of one bandwidth for each passage of said carriage across said conveyors andwherein said disposing means disposes each of said strands from saidfirst holding elements to said second holding elements during a portionof said carriage passage.
 2. The strand supplying apparatus as describedin claim 1 wherein said holding elements are hooks, each of whichcomprises an upwardly extending portion.
 3. The strand supplyingapparatus as described in claim 2 wherein each of said disposing meansis a rake having a plurality of tines which extend above said hooks. 4.The strand supplying apparatus as described in claim 3 wherein saidtines are aligned with respective hooks on each of said conveyors duringthe phase of said carriage travel during which said carriage moves pastand to the outside of said hooks for extending said strands betweenrespective tines and hooks, said drive means operating said rake so thatsaid tines will be aligned with said second hooks before said carriagemoves past said hooks toward the other of said conveyors.
 5. The strandsupplying apparatus as described in claim 2 wherein each of said tineshas a depending portion for guiding strands between said hooks, each ofsaid depending portions extending down to the outside of and below theupper limit of said upwardly extending hook portions.
 6. Apparatus forsupplying parallel strand lengths comprising: a. a pair of laterallyspaced, substantially parallel, synchronously driven conveyors beingprovided at their adjacent edges with a plurality of holding elementsadapted for holding a plurality of strands; b. means for extendingparallel bands of continuous spaced parallel strands alternately fromthe holding elements on one conveyor to the holding elements of theother of said conveyors; and c. drive means for driving said conveyorsand said extending means continuously wherein said conveyors each move adistance of one band width for each extension of a band of strands fromone conveyor to the other.